As our plans continue to evolve and with the help of Fodorite's, we have decided to rent a car during our 10 day visit to Italy. We arrive in Rome and depart from Venice 10 days later. Should we rent the car in Rome after we have spent a few days touring there? Or should we rent right from the airport? What recommendations/lessons learned can you share about car rentals?
Mishka from Canada

..Do not rent it for use in the city. I would suggest you get a 1 week rental (usually cheapest) and pick it up on your way out of Rome. When you arrive in Venice immediately drop the car off even if it is a day earier. I usually rent through eurocar ( I will check and if I have the name wrong I will email). Figure out the size you will need based on the number of people and luggage. Speak to your travel agent or the people at the rental agency to translate the size you need (usually based on N.A. standards to the appropriate European car. A standard shift is much cheaper than an automatic so if you can drive a standard, book it. There is usually an extra charge for multiple drivers (this is not a lot but is something to think about before picking the car up as you will probably be asked..Good luck!

..sorry it was the auto- europe people I used from the U.S.

Rent as you leave Rome and drop off as you reach Venice, as recommended above. You could probably do a one-week rental. A lot of Fodorites (myself included) like AutoEurope, a broker in the US. They claim to match any other agency's rate. Check their website (www.autoeurope.com), then phone for a reservation. Most cost-effective would be a stick shift with diesel engine. I believe that all agencies require full insurance when renting in Italy, but be sure the insurance is "zero deductible."

Should we get gas or diesel? Which would you recommend?

Why a week rental? They're not spending ten days BETWEEN Rome and Venice, but rather... ten days total.

I am a big fan of car rental, but I question it in this situation. One train ride of 4.5 hours gets you to Venice.

If you want to go touring, then do that your last three days in Italy. Leave Venice by car and head north and/or west. Return for your flight.

Four days in Rome, then two in Venice - - since you have aleady made the commitment to start in Rome (I typically recommend starting with two nights in Florence instead, and even for this, I recommend train only - - no car).

Best wishes,

Rex

Not a bad idea, Rex. I'd assumed that Mishka wanted to tour between Rome and Venice, maybe through the Tuscan countryside. Renting for a week is more cost-effective, but doesn't leave much time for visting Rome and Venice on a ten-day itinerary. In either case, I'd definitely request a diesel, due to their awesome mileage.

Rex/Betsy -- thanks. The best flights we could get from Canada was into Rome first. DO you suggest we do a few days in Rome, take a train to Venice...then day trips out of Venice for a few days?????

I treally depends on what you want to see. But I think the first plan sounds best - rent leaving Rome - see what yuo want in between - assuming it's Tuscany or nearby - and then drop in Venice.

Doing day trips by car out of Venice is a pain - since it's always a project getting to - and getting the car out of - the garage (not like a land-based town - where you just get in the car and go).

My wife and I went to Italy last fall, with nine nights on the ground. We fought our normal urge to "keep moving" and decided to spend five nights in Rome and four in Venice. It turned out to be the BEST trip we have ever had. Five full days was just right for a first trip to Rome. The six hour train ride (Eurostar - nice train) to Venice gave us a day to "relax" and then we hit the bricks in Venice for four nights. Terrific trip. I suggest you do something similar!

If this is your first trip to Italy, I suggest you forget about day trips and concentrate on your two chosen cities.

Plagiarizing myself from a post earlier today - - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34649299 - - I have never understood why someone would want to "day trip" from a "base" in Venice.

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&quot;... &quot;day tripping&quot; out of Venice is a huge waste of time (takes at least an hour to get from your hotel in Venice, headed anywhere away, and likewise the reverse to get back to your hotel)... and money... since you are returning to a hotel that costs double, if not triple - - for what you are getting - - than the places you &quot;escaped&quot; from Venice to go see onyour day trips. Stay IN Venice to see <i><b>Venice</b></i>... then move on.

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